Adjustable clamp



2,1930. H. v. HOLMAN "",5'l,t783,7l3

`mJusTALE CLAMP ff Film Aug.,22, 1927` ff-12' shqksheet l LNX NN @mi .QN N\ ww uw .QN QN Dec. 2, 1930. H. v. HOLMAN 1,783,713

ADJUsTABnE CLAMP Filed Aug. 22. 1927 I 2 ShGQtS-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY V. HOLMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ADJUS'IABL CLAMP COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ADJUSTABLE CLAMI Application led August 22, 1927. Serial No. 214,508.

My invention relates in general to clamping devices and has particular reference to an adjustable clamp designed primarily as a portable work-holding device, although it may be used for various other similar purposes, as, for instance, in holdin g together two or more work pieces whichare to be joined or otherwise Worked upon.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a clamping device which is subject to a very fine yet positive adjustment without sacrificing durability, convenience of manipulation, and other desirable qualities expected in a device of this character.

The invention involves further objects and features which are exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings in Which several practical embodiments of the invention are shown.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line l--l of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View through the clamp and clutch loops;

Fig'. 5 is a detail view in elevation of one of the clutch loops;

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of tied form ot' the clamp;

Fig. 7 is a detail view in longitudinal section of the form of clampingr jaw shown in Fill. 6;

Fig'. S is a detail view in rear elevation of the form of elainpincr jaw shown in Figs. 6 and 7;

Fig'. fl isa detail view inlongitlulinal seetion ol'Y another form of clamping;r jaw; and

' Fig. l() is a detail view in rear elevation of the torni ot clamping jaw shown in Fig. 9.

lieterrimll now in detail to Figs. l.' to 5, inclusive. l have indicated a metal clamping; har which. according to that embodiment ot the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, preferablyY comprises a relativel v long, narrow metal strip having a thickness proa modiportioned substantially as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. Fixed adjacent one end of the bar 5 is a head 6 which, for all practical purposes, may be made inthe form of a slotted yoke With the slot thereof made for the reception of the end of the bar so that a rivet 7 or other suitable securing device may be used to fix the head upon the bar substantially as shown. The headed part of the yoke is made with a threaded internal bore through which the clamping screw 8 extends. This clamping screw is provided at one end with a suitable handle 9 and the opposite end of the screw is mounted to the clamping jaw 10 through the medium of a connection which jaw 1() so that the same may be slid on thebar y5 relatively of the head 6 by turning the handle 9.

The yoke part 12 of the clamplO-is made with a slot for the reception of the barb with the litof the bar in the slot such as to prevent unnecessary wobbling of the clamp 10 but at the same time permitting a free slidin 1r movementot the clamp. The face 15 of the clamp ispresented in a position over the har 5 where it will most conveniently engage .the work piece or pieces to be clamped.

A co-operatingr clamping jaw 16 is slidahly mounted on the bar 5 so as to clamp a work piece between it and the clamp 10. To best. identify these clamps 10 and 16, the same may be considered as clampingjaws, and. as an example of the work pieces which they are intended to clamp, I have illustrated blocks A and B. The clamp 16, like the clamp 10, has a clamping face 17 which is presented in confrontingv relation to the face 15 and in substantially the same fixed ,lo to he freely slid on the har plane, although. ot' course, one of the faces ma v he elevated or projected at. an anglo to theI other tace. il' any advantage will he f fained thereby.

The principal features ot' the invention reside in the constructimi and cooperative relationship ot' the parts makinaV up the, clamp .lo and its engagement with the har 5. As heretofore practiced. considerable ditticulty has heen experienctal with devices ot this kind when it hecomes necessary to effect. a tine lslidinga adjustment ot' one ol' the clamps. (lf course, it is realized that the clamp which actuated hy the clamping screw may he subject to a more or less fine :uljustment hut this is frequently insutlicient as in order to provide an entirely practical device. hoth otl the clamps should he capable ot a tine adjustment. l have accomplished this h v employing a plurality ot' clutch loops 18 for arrestingr the slidingT movement ol: the clamp lo. These clutch loops are used in lieu of the old devices which have heen liereteifore provided for a similar purpose.. To accommodate the. clutch loops to the clamp lf3. the clamp is made with a saddle piece l?) which. projects from the rear otl the` lace l? o'f the clamp and has a` saddle-lik'.` notch *lll cut in its upper edge tor supporting.r the. clutch loops. 'lhe lower edge 2l oli the saddle piece is concave with the curvature thereof correspondinjl to the rounded upper edge 22 of the har 'The saddle piece l) is niade as an integral part ot the clamp 1G as well. as an integral part of the yoke 2li of the clamp which has a` slot hy means ot which the clamp is slidalily mounted on the har. rThe notch 90 in the saddle piece l cut so as to leave an elevated shoulder :24 as a forward rest tor the latch loops. The 'tace ot this rest is |)erpendicular so that when the clutch loops eme nic-ved troni a slantine. gripping relation relative to the har into a perpendicular inactive position, the lace of the shoulder 2i. will stop them in a trueI perpendicular position. thus permittingr the clamp rThe opposite face 25 ot the, notch may he slanted rearwardly7 so as to he parallel with the clutch loops when they are projected into a slant'ingr active position. ln lieu ot this slantingil tace the width ot the notch may he such as to enahle the plates to he projected into an active position.

ythe clutch loops of this form ofthe invention may he stamped or otherwise formed from relatively1 short lengths of metal strips. anchas clearly shown in Fifi. each will he provided with a closed slot 26 of a width to accommodate the har 5 and a length to encircle the saddle piece 19 and the bar 5 with the upper ends 2 or the slots restingr on. the saddle ot the notch 2t). The lower ends 2S of the, slots will be curved to correspond to the rounded lower edge. of the har which they engage when in a slanted active position i'or locking the clamp 16 in any adjusted position throughout the length ot the har.

To insure a positive locking engagement ofv the clutch loops with the lower edge of the har, the bar may be serrated or otherwise provided with a plurality of fine notches 29. There, is an important advantage to be gained in using a plurality of these clutch lloops in lieu of one relatively thick plate. The clutch loops are approximately i' of an inch or less in thickness.

It one plate is used. it would have to he thick enough to provide a rigid and nonbendahle lock, and any such plato thick enough for this purpose would not he capable ot a line adjustment tor the clamp 16. ly using a plurality of these loops, I `an still realize the f lesirahlel fine adjustment of the clamp while providing a combined thickness which will rigidly hold an adjustment.. Where a single thick har is used, instead of individual loops, and where the slide har 5 is provided with adjusting notches, each adjustment step must he at least equal to the thickness' of the single thick har because, the notches must he spaced-apart this distance. ll'here a plurality of loops is used, the adjustment may he. finer because more notches can he used. as many more notches as there are plates since each plate receives a notch. l'lven where no notches are used, the gripping etiect would he greater. Referring to the enlarged view in Fig. 4, it will be readilu' apparent that the loops may be so disposed that the right hand edge of each loop may engage the bottom of har 5 instead of merely one edge, as would he the ease if an integral member were used.

Although it not altogether necessary. I wouid` much prefer to use a springr tension device for holding the clutch loops 18 in their slanting;- active position. This may ho couveuiently accomplished by employing' a leaf springrr 3U on each side of ythe. har 5. yThe upper ends ol` these leaf springs may he secured to opposite sides of the saddle piece 19 h v rivets or the like il() with the opposite ends 3; ofthe springs hearing against the clutch loops and holdin;r them under tension in their slanted active position. ln order to make a sliding zuljustment ot' the clamp lo, the clutch loops .may he tilted against the resistance of the springs ill) into their inactive perpendicular position which will release the lower ends Qn ot t he slots ifi Ytrom rippingr relation with the serrated edge Bil ol the har and free the clamp so that it may he slid hack and t'orth on the har. The lena-th ot the slots 26 is greater than that of the distance. hetween the saddle ot the notch 2() and the serrated edfre 29 ot the har 5 So that when the clutch loops are in an inactive perpemlicular position, the har will Slide freely through the slots 26.

The same principle of construction and op# eration Will be found in the embodiments of the invent-ion illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive. In both of these modified forms, a

pipe or other tubular body 33 is used as a bary sity of changing the other detail construction of these partsand they are numbered the same reference characters in Fig. 6 as in Figs. 1 and 2. The opposite clamp in these modified forms is solncwhat materially changed, and in this connection, taking first the modified form shown in Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, the clamp 34 is made with a clamping face 35, the back of which has a pair of spaced parallel Webs 36 which are curved inwardly to provide an open slot 37 and then merge into the barrel 38 which encircles the pipe The pipe 33 extends through the barrel so as to slidably mount the clamp on the barrel.

T he clamp 34, like the clamps 10 and 16, is preferably a. casting, the barrel part thereof having co-axially arranged openings 39 and 40 in its opposite sides through which the pipe 33 extends and With the diameter of the openings 39 and 40 substantially that of the diameter of the pipe but of course large enough so as to provide an unobstructed free sliding movement of the clamp on the pipe. The internal area or diameter of the barrel 38 is larger than the openings 39 and 40 and )rovides a housing for the clutch loops 41. ach of these loops comprises a circular disc-like part having an opening to loosely fit the pipe,

33 and an upstanding tongue 42. The clutch loops are inserted into the barrel through a crescent-shaped slot 43 in the bottom of the barrel and their tongues 42 extend through a squared opening 44 in the top of the barrel through the slot 37. In this case, as in the other e1nbodin'ients,I prefer to use a plurality of these clutch loops to develop a strong, durable and rigid clutching device which is capable of providing a very line adjustment for the clamp. The clutch loops 41 are manipulated into a perpendicular position, at least the openings through the saine are co-axially alined with the pipe 33 when it is desirable to slide the clamp on the pipe. This manipulation of the loops may be accomplished by the upstanding tongues 42. When the loops are in an active clutching relation relative to the pipe 33, they will be tilted so that their axis is at an angle to the axis of the pipe; in other words, they will be slanted as in the case o the loops 18. i

When the pipe 33 is used `as aibar, it will not be necessary to serrate or otherwise Amutilate the under side of the samev as `adesiralole clutching effect can be produced with the clutch loops 41 without the aid of any such serrations.

In Figs. 9 and 10, I have shown still another form of clamp, the same being somewhat sim* ilar to the clamp 34 except in this case the clamp which is identified by the numeral .45 has a single W'eb 46 which terminates in a mutilated barrel 47 for the insertion of the same over the pipe 33. The clutch loops 48 for this embodiment are substantially the same as the clutch loops 41 but instead of being confined Within the barrel, the openings thereof encircle an arcuate saddle 49 on top of the barrel, thel saddle being produced by cutting v out a relatively large area 50 from the under side of the barrel. The tongue'pieces 51 of the loops are presented in an upstanding position in the case of the tongues 42 and the loops`are confined on. the saddle 49 by annular rims 52 and 53. The barrel 47 is made with open ends 54 and 55 through which the pipe 33. is inserted and the diameter of the openings in the loops 48 Which are left eX- posed below the saddle 49 may be co-aXially disposed relatively to the openings54 and 55 so as to leave an unobstructed opening through the barrel for the pipe 33, thus permitting the clamp 45 to freely slide on the barrel when the loops are disposed ina perpendicular position. By manipulating the lingers or tongues 51 to move the loops into a slanting position 'iv-here the openings therein will be positionediat an angle to the axis of the pipe, they will effect a gripping or clutching engagement with the pipe, thus arresting The clamp 45 is provided with a face 56, sub- 7 stantially as in the other embodiments. This clamp may be made as a. casting.

The clutch loops 18 for the clamp 16 may -be removed and replaced by new loops at any time by sliding the clamp 16 off the bar 5, the loops being then readily removed from the clamp by presenting the slots 2,6v above the shoulder at the rear of the recess 20. The clutch loops 41 may also be removed from the barrel 38 of the clamp 34 through the crescent-shaped slot 43 so that they maybe re'- newed when occasion demands. v For renewing the clutch loops 48, I have made the metal around the opening 54 with the Hat sides 57 and the flange 52 smoothed ot' i at these sides so that by turning the loops at a ninety'degreeangle from their normal upf standing position, they may removed from the end of the barrel. .From the above, it will be seen that by the use of a. multiplicity of lthese cluteh'loops, I can provide a very fine yet positive adjustu ment for one of the clamps Without saerifieing a sufficient amount of metal for developing, strength and durability. Furthermore, Y any one of the forms described may be manufactured at a cost which will enable the clamp to be sold at a reasonable price which should insure its popularity with thc trade, especially in view ot' the improved construc- 5 tion which it offers in a device 0f this kind. Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement ot' parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as dem lined by the appended claims, and I therefore do not wish to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

I claim1- l. A clamp comprising a rod, a jaw slidable along said rod, and means for preventing movement of said jaw along said rod comprising a plurality of clutch loops having openings therein through which said rod eX- tends, said clutch loops having means thereon engaging said jaw .so that when said jaw moves in one direction the clutch loops are tilted to bring the edges of said openings into gripping engagement with said rod and thereby prevent any further subtantial movement of said jaw along said rod, each of said clutch loops being relatively thin as compared to the size of its opening, the combined thickness of said clutch loops being sulliciently great to withstand the normal clamping pressure Without material permanent distortion, but each individual clutch loop being so weak as to be materially and permanently distorted by normal clamping pressure when used by itself, the distortion ot the clutch loops tending to cause each clutch loop to more tirml grip said rod.

A clamping evice comprising a clamping bar, a jaw slidably mounted on said bar, a plurality of flat relatively thin members having openings therein surrounding said bar, said members having a thickness of less than one-fourth the diameter of said bar and being constrained to move with said jaw, each of said members being adapted to exert a clamping ,elect upon said bar, the edges on opposite sides. of said openings and upon opposite sides of the relatively thin members engaging said bar at points spacedalong said har` the thickness of each individual member being unable to resist the normal clamping pressure without bending materially, but the aggregate resistance of all members being suiicicnt to prevent any substantialbending ot the members.

ln testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification on this 19th day of August, A. D. 1927.

HARRY V. HOLMAN. 

